Wind energy has demonstrated its dependability in the Covid-19 crisis and “deserves to be trusted” as the EU turns its attention to a sustainable recovery, according to Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) chief executive Ben Backwell.
Backwell (pictured, right), speaking at a virtual press conference ahead of WindEnergy Hamburg in December, said: “The wind industry has proven itself to be resilient during the Covid-19 crisis, providing reliable and cost-competitive energy to power our society as the world is in lockdown.
“Governments across the world must leverage the resilience and huge potential of the wind power sector to generate investment, create jobs and renew critical infrastructure like grids and ports to power a green recovery.”
At the press conference the event’s speakers expressed confidence the sector is poised to help drive a sustainable economic recovery.
WindEurope chief executive Giles Dickson wind energy has become the most economical energy source in many parts of the world.
Dickson said: “Covid-19 is a huge hit to the EU economy. Last week the EU Recovery Plan singled out wind and other renewables as ‘policy fundamentals of the recovery’. And wind will deliver.
“It is cheap, reliable and already 15% of Europe’s electricity.
The EU wants it to be 50% by 2050. That means huge investments. It means investing now. It means the jobs and growth that are needed now.
“The EU is unleashing all its firepower to drive a green recovery – €1.85 trillion. WindEnergy Hamburg in December will show how wind can make this count.”
Covid-19 is “undoubtedly proving a challenge for the wind industry affecting the global supply chain, manufacturing and project execution”, said Siemens Gamesa chief executive Markus Tacke.
Tacke, who also chairs Germany’s trade association VDMA Power Systems, said the crisis is also “showing the resilience of the sector, which has continued to provide affordable and clean energy throughout”.
Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy director-general Thorsten Herdan said: “In Germany, due to Covid-19 the share of renewables and wind in the electricity sector has reached new hights.
“So far, more than 55% of total electricity production in 2020 is renewable – wind alone makes up for a third of electricity production in 2020. And we have observed no problems with grid stability.
“This shows that our system is capable to adopt very high shares of renewables.”
Tacke added: “Now is the time to build on this platform by investing in a true Green Recovery that can stimulate economic growth and job creation.”
GWEC had forecast 2020 to be a record year for wind installations. Backwell added: “While the current crisis will impact these projections, we still see countries like China, the biggest wind market in the world, to surpass even our pre-Covid-19 forecasts.”